In partnership with
OPA Membership Drive: If you enjoy this newsletter and all the events and community work OPA is leading (like the recent SOULstice street festival & this weekend’s Parade), please help our efforts by becoming a member or making a donation. Most memberships are $20/year but there is also a $10/year option. CLICK HERE TO JOIN OR DONATE.
OPA Main St. 4th of July Parade Details:
Theme: Celebrating 100 years of Route 66 and 250 years of the United States
Date: Saturday, July 4, 2026
Time: Kickoff at 9:30 am
Location: The Parade is reversing course this year! It will begin at Marine St. and travel north on Main St., concluding at Pico Blvd. You can find full details and a map of the route here.
Post Parade Celebration: Following the parade, head towards Tongva Park across from City Hall for a citywide celebration from 11:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The free event will feature live entertainment, food trucks, family activities, and an enclosed beer garden!
How can you spectate the parade? Spectators are welcome to cheer on the parade anywhere along the Main Street route.
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!! You can fill out a volunteer application here for a variety of things, including parade setup, participant check-in, float drivers, pick-up trucks needed, etc.
Multiple Main St. shops will be open in support of the community, including Rabano, Edgemar, Papille Gustative, Dolcenero Gelato, Junior Cookies, & The Pump Station…please show them your support in return that day!
Walk with OPA in the July 4th parade: We would love to have more neighbors join us for the City’s signature event that OPA produces. It will be a fun and easy way to represent our community, meet other neighbors, and celebrate the 4th of July together. If you are interested in walking with OPA in the parade, please reply to this email and let us know. We'll share additional details, the meeting location, and any parade guidelines with those who are interested. Come join the fun — the more neighbors we have, the better!
How the Santa Monica 4th of July parade went from chaos to classic: Santa Monica’s very first Fourth of July Parade could easily have been its last. Back in 2007, as a few thousand people lined Main Street waving flags, organizer Jeff Jarow rumbled forward in a bright orange Kubota tractor pulling a 40-foot flatbed trailer that sat just inches above the ground. It didn’t go smoothly. “It ripped off all those little buttons in the middle of the street, those reflector lights,” Jarow remembers. “They were getting compressed and exploding and flying up in the air. The city said, ‘You’re never going to do this again!’” Read the rest of the story here.
SaMo 4th of July Parade reverses course for 2026: The parade will begin at Marine Street & travel north on Main Street, concluding at Pico Boulevard — the opposite of the classic southbound route that has defined the event since its founding. More details in this SMDP column.
How to Keep Pets Safe Ahead of Fourth of July Fireworks: Keep animals indoors during fireworks, close windows & curtains to reduce noise & flashing lights & create a cool, comfortable space with familiar toys, treats, a bed or blanket, & soft music playing in the background. More details here.
Not No Bar on Main St. Listed as One of the Top Bars in LA: This Infatuation list glows about the newish hot spot, stating, "Though everybody inside this crowded Santa Monica spot will be eating bubbly-crusted pizza, don’t be fooled. Not No is a cocktail bar first. Dates smoosh up against the bar with coupes in hand while groups of friends lounge on two-tops and booths like the Feast of Dionysus. Euro disco thumps over the hi-fi system while a couple of cooks twirl pizza dough in the open kitchen. It’s loud, a little messy, and a lot of fun. This is the kind of place you might stop into for a quick drink and end up staying for a while, sipping on tropical-leaning cocktails, like the rum-based Curry Killer laced with coconut and green curry, or the House Of Learned Doctors with aquavit, kiwi, and fennel." More details here.
City Manager Oliver Chi's Weekly Newsletter Highlights Increased Tourism & Revenues During World Cup: "Since the tournament kicked off on June 11, the City has welcomed more than 100,000 fans to over twenty free and ticketed events, turning the Third Street Promenade into one continuous celebration and drawing visitors from across LA County and around the globe!" "Regarding the parking numbers, first, beach parking has brought in $969,000+ over the tournament’s first 13 days, which is up 44% over the same stretch last year, and well above 2023 and 2024 levels." More details here.
Councilmember Lana Negrete Newsletter: Here is her weekly newsletter with updates on Public Safety, Economic Development, Education, Around Town & Community Highlights, Election & Voting, and more.
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Things to Do This Weekend
Penmar Sunset Sessions Independence Day Weekend: They are getting patriotic for Independence Day by having the Red Bull Air Force drop parachutes over this Friday’s Sunset Session. Friday, July 3, 4 - 9p.m., https://www.instagram.com/p/DaJyCK1shwC/
Abbot Kinney First Friday Food Truck Fest (Friday starting at 5pm ): About two dozen food trucks are expected to line the street for the monthly event. https://www.abbotkinneyblvd.com/
Pulse in the Park (Saturday 11:30am - 3pm): Enjoy a high energy, World Cup themed festival in Tongva Park, following the annual community Santa Monica 4th of July Parade on Main Street. santamonicacup.com/events/sunset-sessions
Venice 4th of July (Saturday): The city of Venice’s official celebration will have fireworks, a duck race, local eats, and a DIY regatta! 🎆 instagram.com/p/DZbJTaKG37s
Marina del Rey 4th of July Fireworks (Saturday 9:00 - 9:20pm): Prime viewing spots are at Burton Chace Park and Fisherman’s Village, both of which offer synchronized music during the fireworks show. The fireworks will be shot from a barge off the Marina’s south jetty. visitmdr.com/annual-events/annual-4th-of-july-fireworks-show
Pacific Palisades 4th of July Concert & Drone Show (Saturday): The evening kicks off with a massive live music concert featuring local rock mainstays, followed by a state-of-the-art, synchronized aerial drone light show illuminating the night sky over the Palisades. Advanced tickets are mandatory via palisades4th.org. Gates open at 6:00 p.m., Palisades Charter High School Stadium, 15777 Bowdoin St.
Main St. Farmers Market (Sunday 8:30am - 1:30pm): Looking for a chill way to end your holiday weekend? On stage at the Main Street Farmers Market this Sunday we have special guests, the Triple B Band 10am-1pm. So, get ready to dance your way through the Main Street Farmers Market and grab some fruits and veggies on your way. Special guests Sweet Mountaintop Farm and Dancing Crows Vineyard will be joining us starting this Sunday with some surprise offerings. See you there.
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Upcoming Calendar of Events
Upcoming OPA Book Club Meetings: Planned dates are July 7 (Trust), Aug 5 (The Night Watchman). Email [email protected] for more info. All meets are at 6pm at the Ocean Park Library (2601 Main St.).
OPA Monthly Meeting: Monday, July 13, 6pm @ Ocean Park Library
Ocean Park Social Club Summer Picnic Series: Mark your calendars for our bi-weekly summer evening picnics at Hotchkiss Park on the following Thursdays 5:30-7:30pm: July 9, July 23, Aug 6, Aug 20, and Sep 3.
Want to Volunteer for Future OPA-Sponsored Heal The Bay Adopt-A-Beach Clean-Ups? Contact Dave Tann at [email protected]. He is the coordinator for the OPA/Heal The Bay events, always meeting at Tower 26. Dates this summer are 7/26 & 8/30.
Resources
Police non-emergency Phone #: Call 310-458-8491 or click here for more info.
Santa Monica 311. Submit non-emergency requests to the City.
Santa Monica Alerts. Sign up for emergency text and email alerts.
SaMoNews. Subscribe to the official newsletter of the City of Santa Monica.
Board and Commission Openings. Volunteer to serve the community!
City of Santa Monica Career Opportunities. Get paid to serve the community!
Santa Monica Animal Shelter. Support our municipal Animal Shelter!
Locals Discount Program is Back! OPA has partnered with the SaMo Public Library to launch a Community Discount Program. Local Ocean Park participating businesses include Fitoor and Junior Cookies. Check out the full list here and expect more to come!
Have News to Share? Email [email protected] anytime you have news you think we should share
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